Shinde may lose House membership if not given oath in 6 months

Raj Thackeray-led MNS MLA Shishir Shinde, who was suspended for attacking SP legislator Abu Asim Azmi in Assembly, may lose his membership of the House if not given oath within six months.

It is mandatory for the elected candidate to take oath of the House within six months. However, Shinde, who was elected from Bhandup constituency in suburban Mumbai, was suspended for four years before he took oath.

MNS has written a letter to the Maharashtra Government to revoke his suspension as he had not taken oath. The party has also requested to reconsider suspension of other three MLAs Ram Kadam, Ramesh Wanjale and Vasant Gite.

"Any elected member is part of the House but he needs to take oath within six months of his election. Otherwise he can be disqualified as the member," Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Harshwardhan Patil told reporters here.

The oath of the membership is given in the House or in the Speaker’s chamber to the member. However, the all-party resolution on suspending the MLAs said that they are not allowed to enter the premises of the Mumbai and Nagpur Legislature for four years.

"Considering both the technical issues, Shinde cannot take oath in the House and in the chamber of the Speaker, which is in the Legislature premises," Patil said.